PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the National Alliance and Member of Parliament William Marlin made a public call to Deputy Prime Minister Dennis Richardson at a press conference he called on Wednesday afternoon. Marlin said that Minister Richardson should lead by example especially since he has held several positions in government and knows much better. Marlin said that Minister Richardson held the position as Lt. Governor for two terms, he was a member of the council of advice and then later went to the Netherlands as St. Maarten’s representative on the Council of State. Besides holding those positions Minister Richardson worked closely with him along with Governor Eugene Holiday in preparing St. Maarten’s constitution when the islands were working on their constitutional status.
Marlin said at no point the Deputy Prime Minister should hold the Governor of St. Maarten hostage and since he is the only one in the Council of Ministers with so much experience then he should have been the first to submit his resignation to the governor after the Gumbs cabinet received a motion of no confidence on September 30th 2015.
Marlin said he personally called the Deputy Prime Minister on Wednesday afternoon prior to holding the press conference and expressed his sentiments to him and he expects Deputy Prime Minister to do the honorable thing and submit his resignation. Marlin said when MP Frans Richardson asked Minister Richardson to make his position available he said no one Member of Parliament could not send home a Minister and he also said if the majority in Parliament should vote on a motion of no confidence then he will pack up and leave. Marlin said it’s been over a week now since that motion was passed and what the Council of Ministers did was send a resolution to the Governor to dissolve the Parliament of St. Maarten. Marlin said the constitution of St. Maarten is very clear in its explanatory notes where it stated that the when a Minister receives a motion of no confidence the very next thing he has to do is resign.
Marlin said that Minister Richardson told him that they are not refusing to resign but would only do so when the Governor of St. Maarten signs the resolution to call new elections or he should send it to the Netherlands for annulment. Marlin further explained that Minister Richardson would ridicule the Dutch when it’s convenient to him when these very Dutch people are meddling in the affairs of St. Maarten but today the Deputy Prime Minister is seeking advice from those very Dutch politicians as to how they should move forward.
Marlin said he was contacted during the past days for a reaction and he did not because he wanted the system to work on its own. He said two days ago the Governor issued a press release outlining his decision after conducting consultations, yet the Council of Ministers have not tendered their resignation.
Marlin further stated that the Deputy Prime Minister said on the floor of parliament and said that the people should manage their own affairs and they should not allow the Dutch to meddle in St. Maarten affairs, one being when they wanted to establish an integrity chamber.
Marlin said that the Deputy Prime Minister told him that they want to ensure that no one gets into government and begin doing their own thing. However, he said that calling new elections will not solve the problem of ship jumping. The National Alliance leader said shortly after the 2014 Parliamentary Elections a coalition was put in place and several persons worked tirelessly to have a governing program when one of the eight jumped ship at the night hour to form the UPP/De Weever/ LRM coalition. “When that happened it was all good and today those very people decided to leave that coalition and to form a new government, but that is not good enough for the Gumbs cabinet because they believe calling elections now under the same conditions would solve the problem of “ship jumping.” Marlin said while the deputy prime minister is saying they don’t want people in government who would do their own thing he (Minister Richardson) is part of a government that peddled off the Emilio Wilson park, he is part of a government that signed a mysterious MOU with someone from the Dominican Republic and GEBE. This very Minister is also part of a government that is wheeling and dealing and signing off of some huge projects as they hold the governor of St. Maarten hostage. Marlin said while the Council of Ministers sent a resolution to the governor to dissolve the parliament of St. Maarten those from the now minority government has been calling all Members of Parliament making offers to them to cross over back so they could hold on to power.
He concluded his press conference by issuing a strong call to the Deputy Prime Minister who is now acting as the Prime Minister of St. Maarten to do the honorable thing and save the country from more shame and disgrace.
